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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27194113">Rose Beneath Pumpkins</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittypaws12/pseuds/kittypaws12'>kittypaws12</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Draco's Hidden Rose [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>2020 Autumn Writing Challange, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, F/M, M/M, Regrets</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 16:35:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,972</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27194113</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittypaws12/pseuds/kittypaws12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the 2020 Autumn Writing Challenge<br/>Word choice: Pumpkin, Leaves, Crimson, and Pastries<br/>Description: Draco is smitten by the new transfer student and it's love at first sight. He wants the relationship to be more than being house mates but those around him don't agree. He's left unsure of himself, balancing between his love for her, ancient Pureblood ideals, and mending his heart after soiling a relationship.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco/ OC</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Draco's Hidden Rose [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1985156</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Rose Beneath Pumpkins</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi everyone, I'm doing something a bit different. This is my submission for the 2020 Autumn Writing Challenge on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Club Discord. This is based on a prompt given to me by a certain Slytherin. I would like to thank Professor Jass who really helped me improve the grammar of this fic and brought flair to it. You guys are awesome.<br/>For this fic, I don't belive there are any Trigger Warnings to put in</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rustling trees scattered orange tinted leaves across a cobblestone pathway branching off into two paths—the left led to a circle of rocks and the other which led to the Black Lake where a giant squid lived. Teens clad in heavy robes strolled down the path clasping their robes tighter around themselves. A small group with matching red and gold ties and a lion crest on the front chatted with each other, tagging along a petite blond girl with radish earrings and a blue and silver tie. The group hurried to the left once reaching the bend, passing by a tall sixth-year male student strolling behind a young dirty blond witch ahead of him.</p>
<p>The two students wore matching green and silver ties. The male kept his icy blue eyes trained on the witch, taking subtle glances at her thin frame. Her heavy cloak billowed gently in the slight breeze, still managing to cover what little he could admire from his vantage point. His gaze switched to the path ahead of them. He took a deep breath, clutching the strap of his messenger bag tighter.</p>
<p>
  <em>Clear your mind, Draconus.</em>
</p>
<p>“Draco come on now. Walk beside me instead of admiring me from behind,” the petite witch called out to him glancing over her shoulder with a smirk.</p>
<p>“We can’t be seen together. You know that Rose,” Draco muttered just loud enough for her to hear but kept his voice soft enough so that others couldn’t.</p>
<p>Draco glanced at the wooden hut a few feet to the left of them. The only light shining in the window came from the sunset, and there was no smoke rising from the chimney. <em>The oaf must be back at the castle.</em></p>
<p>Rose rolled her eyes with a shake of her head.</p>
<p>“No one is around us silly. Besides, I don’t care what your dad says or thinks of me.”</p>
<p>She turned around to face her blond classmate who slowed his pace to a halt, looking at her properly. She held onto her flower patterned bookbag with both hands around the straps. Her wand stuck out from the bag’s side pocket instead of a wand holster at her waist as other students do, himself included. Though the placement seemed hazardous at first glance, he knew she had charmed the pocket to keep the wand in place: not even an Expelliarmus could yank it away.</p>
<p>Draco stared her down with a blank expression on his face—his jaw set firm, feet planted on the walkway and one held loosely at his side.</p>
<p>“Potter could be anywhere. Haven’t you heard he’s got an invisibility cloak?” Draco argued, still keeping his distance from Rose.</p>
<p>She tilted her head curiously, “Now why would a skilled Auror want to stalk random children?”</p>
<p>“I meant his son.”</p>
<p>Rose’s lips tugged upwards and stretched into a grin.</p>
<p>“I knew who you meant! I may be new here but I’m not that confused between the two.” she snickered.</p>
<p>Honey brown eyes glinted; the grin grew into a bright smile.</p>
<p>“Oh Harry!” she trilled. “Come out of hiding! Draco seems—-“</p>
<p>Draco’s eyes widened as he hurried to Rose, grasping her hand, and pulling her behind a tree in a matter of seconds. He clamped his hand tightly over her mouth, hushing her.</p>
<p>“Shhh! Are you mad? If Potter finds us, then…then…” Draco’s voice trailed as Rose’s muffled giggles turned into a nasal snort.</p>
<p>Draco struggled to keep up his stern façade at the sound. He snorted as well in an attempting to hide his own bought of laughter. He lowered his hand from her mouth and studied her, his cheeks flushing red. Something about Rose’s unlady like laughter made him warmed his insides, making him laugh like nothing could. Unconsciously, Draco began to let his walls down with each passing second with her.</p>
<p>Eventually, Rose’s snorts of laughter slowed down. Her cheeks were flush.</p>
<p>“See? No one here,” she said stepping closer to Draco.</p>
<p>His thin lips tugged upwards into a rare smile. Rose stood on the tips of her toes and pecked him on the lips. Draco leaned in, kissing her tenderly while bringing one arm around her waist, pressing her closer to him. Her heels returned to the ground. He tilted his head, deepening the kiss as he rested his hand against her back. Rose closed her eyes while grasping a fistful of his robes. The movement loosened her grip on her bookbag, sending it falling to the ground with a soft thud.</p>
<p>Slender fingers trailed down Rose’s cheek, caressing her jaw line. Rose moaned softly as he eagerly explored her with his tongue. Her heart pounded in her chest, racing against his own. They kissed slowly; she the taste of peppermint on his slightly chapped lips.</p>
<p>Draco slid his hand to the back of her neck, his fingers tangling in her hair as he kissed her soft rosebud lips, tasting of honey. He shrugged off his messenger bag, letting it fall to the ground with a soft thud beside Rose’s now abandoned bookbag.</p>
<p>A few seconds passed before Draco finally broke the kiss. Their breathing was still slightly ragged as they gazed at each other in the fading light. He took a few steps back and leaned against the tree behind him, resting his head against it with a soft chuckle.</p>
<p>“Merlin… Rose….” Draco gasped out, taking several breaths to calm his racing heart.</p>
<p><em>That… felt brilliant</em>.</p>
<p>Rose was breathing just as heavily as him. One small hand reached out and grasped his, sending warmth through it as their hands joined together.</p>
<p>“You’re… a great kisser, you know. I didn’t think—-“</p>
<p>Draco cut her off with another. Her eyes widened for a moment before she closed them with a slight moan, staggering backwards until her foot collided with a large pumpkin behind her. She tumbled backwards over it with a yelp of surprise. Draco lurched forward to grasp her but lost his footing on the pumpkin’s vine, tumbling along with her. His arms jerked outwards as he fell, bracing himself.</p>
<p>Rose landed on her back in the wet dirt, one leg hooked around the pumpkin’s stem, the other leg stretched out awkwardly to her side. Draco winced, twisting his ankle against the same pumpkin stem as he fell on top of her. His hand slammed against the ground beside her hand, his other hand grazed on something soft and firm.</p>
<p>Rose gasped out, one of her breasts throbbed as something pressed against it. She groaned; the back of her head twinged as she lifted her head.</p>
<p>“Are you alright?” Draco asked, his voice straining.</p>
<p>She pushes through her hands to sit up, but something pinned her down. Her vision blurred with two faces above her, both looking like Draco’s.</p>
<p>Rose chuckled despite the pain, “I’m fine! Totally. Leave it to me to become a cliché, am I right?”</p>
<p>Rose glanced down, finding a slender hand against her breast. A slight blush spread on her cheeks.</p>
<p>Draco followed her gaze, his eyes widened, and he yanked his hand back as though.</p>
<p>“Sorry!” Draco said quickly, readjusting his hand to rest in the dirt beside her.</p>
<p>He crawled over to her side.</p>
<p>“All you had to do was ask, you know,” Rose said with a smirk as she began tugging her ankle away from the pumpkin.</p>
<p>Her face suddenly twisted in pain.</p>
<p>“You are going to break your ankle doing that.” Draco said, his tone serious and stiff.</p>
<p>Draco reached over the top of the pumpkin with both hands, grasping her ankle and leg.</p>
<p>“This might hurt but not much.” Draco told her.</p>
<p>Draco held her leg steady as he maneuvered her ankle and foot away from the stem.</p>
<p>“Are you able to sit up?”</p>
<p>Rose nodded, moving her arms back and planted her hands on the ground. With a wince, she sat partially up. Draco eased her foot down from the pumpkin. Rose scooted herself back and her foot met with the ground.</p>
<p>“Thank you, kind sir,” Rose said, her face struggling to keep a straight face.</p>
<p>Draco smirked at that.</p>
<p>“Well, I do seem to recall a muggle story about something regarding pumpkins and a gorgeous lady.” Draco said.</p>
<p>Rose giggled. She beamed at him and reached for his hand. Draco grasped hers after scooting back to rest against the pumpkin behind them. Rose rested her head against Draco’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“This feels nice.” Rose whispered.</p>
<p>Draco hummed in agreement. A slight breeze traveled through the air, prickling at their skin. The sky turned a deeper orange since they arrived at the pumpkin patch. Behind them, darkness still overtook the hut. The chatter around them had died down long ago. Rose glanced up at him with a slight smile. She scooted closer to him, reaching around his waist, and snuggled against his chest. Rose hummed in contentment.</p>
<p>Draco wasn’t sure what to do with his hands, he ended up resting one hand against her back, the other holding on to hers. He studied the area around them. Small crunches of leaves sounded closed and quick.</p>
<p>Rose blinked lifting her head slightly as a black shaggy dog and a deer scurried pass them side by side.</p>
<p>The two continued to rest against each other for what felt like only minutes, the bell ringing in the distance. They groaned in unison.</p>
<p>“Curfew. Bugger all.” Draco muttered, standing up.</p>
<p>Draco turned and helped Rose stand up, he wrapped one arm around her waist. Rose held onto Draco.</p>
<p>“We should head back up to the castle. Can you walk with your ankle?” Draco spoke, studying her face.</p>
<p>“I think so,” Rose said while moving her foot. It throbbed a little, “It’s only a sprain.”  </p>
<p>Leaves covered Rose’s hair. Draco reached up to brush them out of her messy locks. He caught some knots as he did so, unintentionally pulling her hair; she winced inwardly, not wanting him to stop.</p>
<p>
  <em>If he stops, I might not get him to show affection again.</em>
</p>
<p>“Erm… Your hair’s a right mess! I think I got the leaves out but the rest I think we need magic to fix.” Draco said.</p>
<p>Rose smirked, staring at Draco’s currant disheveled hair, “Your hair isn’t much better, Malfoy.”</p>
<p>Hand frozen in place for a moment, Draco stared at Rose who smiled at him. A lump formed in his throat. He let his arm go slack beside him and set his jaw firm like before. Draco turned, hurrying to his messenger bag beside the tree.</p>
<p>“Draco? I didn’t mean to… it meant to be funny.” Rose explained, hurrying towards, “I’m…”</p>
<p>The strap of his messenger bag scraped his hand while he tightened his grasp on it. His chest throbbed with the fierce beating of his heart, but he took a steady deep breath.</p>
<p>
  <em>I thought you got over this. Over him. One singular sentence shouldn’t bring you back there…</em>
</p>
<p>“Draco?” Rose’s voice sounded through his thoughts</p>
<p>Draco turned to face her, putting up the mental walls in his mind in an instant.</p>
<p>
  <em>You can’t tell her. She would want to dig deeper, then she’ll hate you.</em>
</p>
<p>“I love you.” Draco burst out in a harsh whisper, his voice sounding dangerous.</p>
<p>Rose blinked, staring at him. The words didn’t seem to match the tone of his voice.</p>
<p>Draco turned and hurried down the left path without saying anything more. Rose stood rooted to the spot for several seconds, staring at her boyfriend as he ran. She huffed, walking over to her bookbag. She grabbed and swung it over her back.</p>
<p>Rose grumbled to herself as shuffled up to the trail: <em>The hell is his problem! We had such a great kiss and then I had to go ahead and insult his hair. Can’t he take a joke? Did he really mean what he said or was it just to get me to drop it? Gosh, he’s so… so… </em>She bit back a frustrated growl.</p>
<p>Rose stayed a few paces behind Draco as she walked, not particularly wanting to agitate him more. She bit down on her bottom lip, holding back a sob. Her eyes pricked with wetness, misting them. Sniffling, she blinked a few times as she walked, her eyes becoming drier.</p>
<p>
  <em>I love you too, Draco.</em>
</p>
<p>************</p>
<p>Draco made his way through the large double wide door leading to a room of chattering students which muffled his footsteps on the stone flooring. Inside, he found that a majority of the student body was already seated amongst the four rows of large tables filled with heaping platters of food. Pumpkins were hovering above the tables. Lights pulsed slowly in each one. Conjured bats flapped around evenly distributed oil lamps against the stone walls.</p>
<p>Draco didn’t pay much mind to the added decorations. In fact, he glared at one bat before striding to the Slytherin table in search of his year—mates. He passed by the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables in haste, not even glancing at the students seated there.</p>
<p>“Draco! There you are, we were beginning to worry,” One of his house—mates— Lilith Wright— called out to him, tucking a strand of raven—and—red hair behind her ear.  </p>
<p>“Oh really, now?” Draco asked the girl as he approached the table.</p>
<p>He took an empty spot on the wooden bench seat which sat beside his four best friends— two burly teens named Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, a dark—skinned boy named Blaise Zabini, and a girl named Pansy Parkinson who probably could do more in the looks department. Lilith sat across from him.</p>
<p>“Yes, especially when you left me at Hogsmeade,” Pansy Parkinson drawled, glaring at Draco, “Care to explain, Drakey?”</p>
<p>“I told you, father wanted me to help him in the potions lab,” Draco said, smoothly.</p>
<p>On his far left, Draco spotted Rose. Their eyes met for a single moment and Draco smiled. Rose smiled back before darting her gaze to a plate of pumpkin pudding.</p>
<p>“Oh, really? So how do you explain your father not seeing you since breakfast? Hmmm?” Pansy pressed.</p>
<p>Draco glanced at the head table. A man with long blond hair tied in a black ribbon, high cheekbones, sat beside the headmaster. His father, Lucius. The senior Malfoy had his black walking stick leaning against his chair. Lucius glanced at him and Draco turned his gaze to the right, averting the man’s icy blue gaze.</p>
<p>“It’s not your business,” Draco answered coolly, not looking at Pansy.</p>
<p>Draco’s gazed moved left. Beside his father, two seats were unoccupied— Professors Wolfstar and Starwolf were either extremely late to dinner or absent. </p>
<p>
  <em>How in Merlin’s name does Dumbledore keep those two around? Honestly! One’s a completely dangerous beast and the other is completely mental.</em>
</p>
<p>“Not my business? Not my—“ Draco didn’t pay attention to her heated reply. Instead he glanced at Rose who was shoveling the pudding into her mouth. Pansy followed his line of sight, smirking cruelly</p>
<p>“I see, it’s that new girl isn’t it? You fancy her?” She snickered, “Oh, wait till I tell my parents. They will surely tell your father.”</p>
<p>Draco narrowed his eyes and rounded on Pansy who had a massive grin on her face.</p>
<p>“You will do no such thing,” Draco warned, keeping his voice low and dangerous.</p>
<p>Pansy stared at him, not even flinching, or removing the grin from her. She scoffed at him.</p>
<p>“No, I think I will just tell him directly since he is our head of house after all. Can you imagine the shame of the Malfoy line if you continue to date that Mudblood, you—”</p>
<p>“Don’t call her that! Ever.” Draco snarled.</p>
<p>“Why not? It’s what she is, you know. An American one at that! Even Worst. Might as well date a muggle if you are ashamed that much.”</p>
<p>Lilith glared at Pansy. For a moment, Lilith’s dark eyes flashed crimson as she narrowed them.</p>
<p>“My grandparents were muggles, you cow, and they were the nicest people you would ever meet.” Lilith growled.</p>
<p>“Were they now? They weren’t really your grandparents to begin with. Actually, I seem to recall that your real grandfather was a right cowardly muggle, and your grandmother was— “</p>
<p>“Shut. Your. Trap, before I hex you,” Lilith sneered, standing up quickly from her seat, the plates clattering on the table. Her normal chocolate eyes glowed crimson.</p>
<p>Pansy just stared at her classmate with a smug expression, “I’ll like to see you try, Wright, that is if you don’t cry to your currant flame first.”</p>
<p>Crabb and Goyle snickered but Draco just rolled his eyes. <em>They should know not to provoke anyone from the Wright family</em>, Draco mused while digging into his messenger bag, pulling out a composition notebook and pencil.</p>
<p> On the front of the composition notebook, <em>Draco Lucius Malfoy</em> squalled neatly on the top line and <em>Muggle Studies—Lilly Potter</em> on the bottom. Pansy kept running her mouth, but Draco had tuned her out, flipping the cover of the notebook and opened to an empty page. For now, Pansy’s wrath turned away from him onto another which suited him as his thoughts could focus on the lovely Rose Lovett.</p>
<p>Draco glanced up at the object of his thoughts. Her still frizzled hair hid one side of her face. His lips tugged up into a smile.</p>
<p><em>She still looks even more beautiful with messy hair</em>.<em> Like a lioness.</em></p>
<p>Rose talked to a female under—classmate with curly brunette hair, whose name escape him. He frowned; Rose didn’t glance back.</p>
<p>
  <em>Did she hear Pansy? I swear if she did, I’m not speaking to Pansy again. ‘course that won’t be possible until next year. </em>
</p>
<p>Draco turned back to the notebook, still ignoring Pansy and Lilith’s feud. The latter quickly became the louder of the two girls. Draco scribbled something on the empty piece of paper right as Lilith screeched, “I don’t bloody care what my grandmother did!”</p>
<p>Rose flinched at this and glanced around, her gaze setting upon the head table. A woman with long black hair streaked with silver sprang up from her seat to the right of the headmaster. Rose knew her as Professor Wright, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Professor Wright stared wide—eyed, glancing at someone at Rose’s table. Rose followed the professor’s gaze to Lilith and dropped her spoon. Lilith’s eyes were fully dilated and engulfed with an unnatural shade of red.</p>
<p>“Yes, it was wrong, but I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for what she did,” Lilith continued her tirade. Rose glanced wide—eyed at Draco who jotted something down in a notebook, not even flinching at Lilith’s changing eyes.</p>
<p>
  <em>Should I get help or…</em>
</p>
<p>Rose noticed the headmaster whispered something to Professor Wright that she couldn’t catch due to Lilith’s increased rage, “My father wouldn’t be here nor my sister. I care deeply for both and I would think that being heirs to Slytherin would negate the mistakes of my family’s past. For the record, Pansy, I don’t give a rat’s arse for this pureblood nonsense, nor did Salazar Slytherin.” The goblet in front of Lilith flew up and swung at Pansy, splashing the vain girl with pumpkin juice.</p>
<p>Pansy’s gasp stirred Draco’s attention—  he glanced up from his composition book and stared at Pansy. He snickered and immediately turned his gaze to his notebook as a surge of laughter rose through his chest. He caught Rose’s eye and her face contorted, biting her lips and covering her mouth with her hand as her shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. Several more members of the student body started to laugh as well. With her eyes still blazing crimson, Lilith wandlessly gathered her messenger bag and books. She sent one last glare at a soaking wet Pansy before hurrying off towards the Great Hall’s entryway.</p>
<p>Draco took this moment to take his leave, asking Pansy, “What did you honestly expect?” while tearing off the small piece of notebook paper he wrote on as he stood up. Pansy’s pale face grew several shades red and she balled up her fists, the pumpkin juice dripping from her dark hair. Her chest heaving with harsh breaths.</p>
<p>“I…I…” Pansy stuttered, glaring at Draco, “This is all your fault! You and your Mudblood.”</p>
<p>Draco clenched his jaw, narrowing his eyes. He grasped his wand and held it as though about to aim it at her. Instead, he flicked it towards the direction he had hidden the piece of paper he he’d torn. He muttered something under his breath. The paper disappeared from his hand. Pansy flinched even though he did absolutely nothing to her. Draco smirked and strutted towards the entryway. His heels clicking on the marble flooring.</p>
<p>**************</p>
<p>The boy Draco worried about finding them out earlier rushed out of the Great Hall before Draco did. Chatter in the Great Hall resumes once Pansy sulked out of it while screeching after Draco who darted towards the direction of the Grand Staircase. Rose continued to suppress her giggles with her hand, not wanting to earn the ire of her classmates. The laughter came mostly from the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables. Rose didn’t catch what caused the argument only that Lilith is scarry when angry.</p>
<p>Once Draco left, a piece of paper glided undetected near the Slytherin table, soaring above it, darting around goblets filled with pumpkin juice. Finally, it made a soft decent in front of Rose who sipped from her goblet before continuing her conversation with Mila Pritchard,</p>
<p>What do you think that was about?” Rose asked her.</p>
<p>“Hard to tell,” Mila said with a small shrug, taking a bite of her pastry.</p>
<p>Mila leaned close to Rose and whispered, “There’s a reason she’s called the Ice Queen.”</p>
<p>Rose nodded, her brows furrowing, not sure what Mila meant by that.</p>
<p>
  <em>Pansy doesn’t seem all that bad. Though her eyes do send daggers, and she is quite rude. </em>
</p>
<p>Rose finished the last bite of her pudding, then her eyes set upon the piece of paper beside her plate, she grasped it with a puzzled expression on her face. On it read,</p>
<p>
  <em>Meet me near the Barnabas the Barmy tapestry after dinner. We need to talk.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>D.L.M</em>
</p>
<p>“Hey Mila—”</p>
<p>“Hm”</p>
<p>“Do you know where the Barnabas the Barmy tapestry is?”</p>
<p>Mila perked up, a wide smirk tugging at her plump pink lips, “On the seventh floor. Take the left corridor once you get off the stairs.”</p>
<p>Rose’s eyes widened, “The one with the guy trying to teach trolls ballet? I think I’ve seen that before on the way to Flitwick’s office.”</p>
<p>Rose giggled, <em>Trolls doing ballet.</em></p>
<p>“The very same. Say, why were you asking?” Mila pondered, resting her hand against her cheek. Smoky— hazel eyes lined with black eyeliner stared back at Rose.</p>
<p>Rose pocketed the piece of paper into her robes.</p>
<p>“No reason just wanted to explore the castle some more before lights out,” Rose said quickly while gathering her belongings.</p>
<p>Mila hummed, wiggling her darken eyebrows, “Sure you do. Do tell me everything later, darling,” Mila said, her smile tugging into to a grin as Rose stood up.</p>
<p>Rose shook her head, redness slowly creeping on her cheeks, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”</p>
<p>
  <em>I really don’t.</em>
</p>
<p>“If I don’t see you before lights out, have a goodnight,” Rose called out to Mila as she shuffled out of the Great Hall.</p>
<p>Professor Wright and Lilith huddled together near the wall, whispering in hush tones, feet away from the Great Hall’s entrance. A Gryffindor with jet black hair and glasses rubbed Lilith’s back. Rose pass by them nearing the Moving Staircase.</p>
<p>********</p>
<p>Hushed voices droned throughout the Grand Staircase from small groups of people currently mingling about. Each flight of stairs swung in different directions depending on both the currant landing and the next, separating from their stone bracing, then swinging into the next until finally grinding to a halt. Draco ascended the stairs towards the seventh floor, his hand grasping the railings as he familiarized himself with how these stairs moved during his five years of attending this school.</p>
<p>Draco rounded the empty, quiet corridor on the left, shuffling near the ridiculous tapestry ahead of him— two thundering trolls dancing while a third clubs an idiot wizard to death.</p>
<p>
  <em>Did she get the note? Wait, would she even know where to find me? Will she even come up after what happened earlier? Ugh…Draconius you right blighter! She could get lost on those stairs. I didn’t even think of that! Why didn’t I think of that? </em>
</p>
<p>The suffocating silence of the corridor pressed upon him except for the oil lamps crackling and sizzling. Draco paced the distance of the opposite wall, his shoes squeaking as he pivoted.</p>
<p>
  <em>I should have silenced my shoes. Someone might hear. Clear your head, you need to think of what to say to her. Be firm. Get her to understand.</em>
</p>
<p>Draco’s pacing slowed down, he paused and shifted his gaze to the corridor’s opening— no one entered yet.</p>
<p>He continued pacing again, slower this time, getting lost in his thoughts.</p>
<p>
  <em>Should I wait? What if she doesn’t show. What if—-</em>
</p>
<p>Draco slunk behind a column, pressing his back against it as footsteps sounded close, shadows flickering on the opposite wall.</p>
<p>“I’m sure Wright is fine, mate. By the morning she will be her normal self, you’ll see.” Ron Weasley’s deep grating voice sounded above the other voices.</p>
<p>Draco whipped his head around. The mentioning of Wright’s name mixed with that voice sent Draco’s heart quickening. With certainty, Weasl’s voice meant his arrival.</p>
<p>“You didn’t hear what she told me, Ron. Parkinson insulted her family. Would’ve you have reacted any better if your family was insulted?”</p>
<p>Draco’s breath hitched at the gruff but warm voice, his heart beating faster. Through the shuffling sea of Gryffindor, three figures appeared mere feet from a gawking Draco who was crouching down and leaning his head slightly against the wall. A boy with jet—black and circular black framed glasses strides pass him with the other two. His normally emerald eyes seemed to glow brighter and harsher under the oil lamps’ light. Draco kept his gaze on Harry, Draco’s heart beating so loud that he feared it becoming audible to the others.</p>
<p>
  <em>Harry…</em>
</p>
<p>The voice continued after a slight pause.</p>
<p>“No, you wouldn’t, I reckon. So, excuse me for being concern for my girlfriend.  Get her name through that thick skull of yours. Her name is Lilith. Not just Wright. Lilith.”</p>
<p>Draco swallowed hard, a lump formed in his throat and plunged into his heart. Finality. He heard the rumors that someone captured Harry’s heart again, but a part of Draco hoped that he didn’t move on, that there was a chance— possibly a slight chance, but he hoped. Hoped that he’ll forgive him, not that he is deserving of that forgiveness, but Draco hoped.</p>
<p>Harry now had a girlfriend as did he.</p>
<p>It was final.</p>
<p>There was no going back sans a time—turner, but Granger had the only one and it got destroyed years ago.</p>
<p>Draco’s eyes misted, listening to Harry’s frustrated voice drone on without catching on any particular words the boy spoke.</p>
<p>
  <em>I wish I could go back a year ago. To fix everything. If I didn’t… if I didn’t. I don’t even remember exactly what I said, but I wish I never said it.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>But… I would’ve never been with Rose… but, I miss you. I can’t stop.</em>
</p>
<p>“I still love you,” Draco whispered underneath his breath as the group disappeared from his sight.</p>
<p>Squeezing his eyes shut, Draco exhaled the deep, shaky breath he was holding. Frantically, Draco brought up his mental walls, wrapping his arms around himself while biting his tongue to hold back the choking sobs threatening to erupt. It wouldn’t do for even one sob to disturb the buzzing of activity of the corridor and getting himself in trouble for not being in his common room. He was expecting McGonigal’s arrival at any moment, not to mention Potter’s disgusting pet rat.</p>
<p>
  <em>This has to go well! </em>
</p>
<p>********</p>
<p>Rose’s platform shoes pounded against the stone floor as she hurried into the seventh floor’s entry way, screeching to a halt when she nearly collided with a student.</p>
<p>“Sorry!” Rose muttered, continuing to run through the mostly empty corridor.</p>
<p>Draco wasn’t standing where they were supposed to meet or nearby.</p>
<p>
  <em>I’m too late. He’s probably more upset with me now.</em>
</p>
<p>Rose stood in the middle of the corridor, her eyes starting to mist again.</p>
<p>“Draco?”</p>
<p>
  <em>Why do you always have to hide?</em>
</p>
<p>“Draco?” Rose searched the area, calling out to him in loud whispers.</p>
<p>Small shuffling noises were coming from her right. Rose brought her hands back, reaching for her bookbag’s back pocket, her eyes darting around as she did so. Light footsteps came close bringing her to a sudden halt.</p>
<p>“You made it.”</p>
<p>The sudden soft voice quickened Rose’s heartbeat, she made a small gasp, whipping her body around. Standing right behind her was Draco and a soft sigh left Rose as her gaze set upon him. She gasped as a pair of strong arms enveloped her in a tight embrace.</p>
<p>“So, you’re not mad at me?”</p>
<p>Rose whispers.</p>
<p>“Why would I be mad at you?” Draco asked releasing her and placed a gentle, warm hand against her cheek.</p>
<p>Rose replied in a soft voice with a veil of uncertainty, “Earlier, with your hair. I didn’t mean—”</p>
<p>“I know you were teasing me. I… you reminded me of someone for a moment, and I..” he paused, smiling down at her, “It doesn’t really matter now that you’re here.</p>
<p>His eyes seemed to wobble with mist and were slightly red to her.</p>
<p>“Are you alright?” Rose asked softly.</p>
<p> Draco nods with a small smile, grasping her small hand.</p>
<p>“Perfectly splendid, actually,” Draco whispers as he leans in to press their lips together.</p>
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